The present invention relates to wiring devices of the type in which a single contact is divided into a pair of bifurcated spring arms, one of which is longer than the other. This arrangement provides for the interconnection of two electrical wires to a common electrical point through the spring arms. The wires are commonly inserted through apertures in the housing of the device and the spring arms are biased so that they engage the bare end of the connecting wires and force them against housing walls of the device that is being wired. A commonly used arrangement for releasing the wires from engagement with the spring arms is to provide a channel or passageway at the bottom of the electrical switch or other device so that when an elongated pin is inserted through the channel the end of the pin will engage the contact and will deflect it upwardly so that wires may be released. The insertion of a pin into such a channel, for example, as shown in the E. J. McLaughlin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,710, however commonly cause both of the wires to be disconnected from the spring arms simultaneously since the pin engaged the contact at a point where the two spring arms had not yet diverged from the main body of the contact.
It is often faster and, therefore, more cost effective, however, in the wiring, trouble shooting and inspection of electrical switches and other devices using the aforementioned type of multiple wire connections to be able to individually disconnect each of the wires of a wire pair. Prior art construction of devices such as those shown in the McLaughlin patent and the K. J. Batcheller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,835 did not provide such a feature. In the present invention, however, the wires of each pair of wires can be individually released so that when it is desired to have only one wire connected to the contact, it is unnecessary for the serviceman to release both of the wires and then reinsert one of them. The fast disconnect arrangement of the present invention is provided by a pair of offset elongated apertures through parallel housing surfaces of the electrical switch, or other electrical device.